Patent application title: Flexible prong laminating adaptor for use in creating a laminated stump socket for attaching a prosthetic limb

Abstract:

A socket adaptor, for use in creating a laminated stump socket for use
with a patient having a stump, in attaching a prosthetic limb to the
patient. The socket adaptor has a main body and a plurality of prongs.
The prongs are made of sheet titanium so that they are flexible and
bendable to closely accommodate the stump. The socket adaptor is
subsequently encapsulated with the laminated stump socket. The main body
allows a prosthetic connector to be attached thereto to allow the
laminated stump socket to secure directly to the prosthetic limb.

Claims:

1. A socket adaptor, for use in creating a laminated stump socket for
attaching a prosthetic limb to a patient having a stump using a
prosthetic connector having a plug, comprising a main body and a
plurality of prongs, the main body adapted for accepting a prosthetic
connector for securing to the prosthetic limb, the prongs are
substantially flat, bendable, and extend radially outwardly from the main
body in substantially the same plane.

2. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 1, wherein the prongs are made
of sheet titanium.

3. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 2, wherein the prosthetic
connector has a threaded base, and wherein the main body has a main bore
for accepting the prosthetic connector.

4. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 3, wherein the prosthetic
connector has a pyramid plug for attaching to prosthetic limbs.

5. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 3, wherein the main body is made
of solid titanium.

6. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 4, wherein the main body has an
adjustment opening that allows the main bore to be slightly spread and
narrowed, and an adjustment screw for selectively narrowing the main bore
to clamp onto the threaded base of the prosthetic connector when threaded
in the main bore.

7. A socket adaptor for use in creating a laminated stump socket,
comprising a main body and a plurality of prongs, the main body having a
prosthetic connector for securing to a prosthetic limb, the prongs are
made of sheet titanium so that they are substantially flat and bendable.

8. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 7, wherein the prosthetic
adaptor has a pyramid plug for securing to the prosthetic limb.

9. The socket adaptor as recited in claim 6, wherein the main body is made
of solid titanium.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The invention relates to socket adaptor for attaching a prosthetic
limb. More particularly, the invention relates to a socket adaptor that
has flexible prongs that allow the socket adaptor to be readily conformed
to a stump casting to create a laminated stump socket that may then
securely attach to a stump and allow subsequent attachment of a
prosthetic limb.

[0002]Three prong laminating adaptors are often used in the prosthetic
industry in the creation of laminated stump sockets. The laminated stump
socket is fit over the stump of the patient, and is configured to allow
the prosthetic device to be attached thereto. Accordingly the laminated
stump socket must both fit comfortably on the stump, and have sufficient
structural integrity to create a reliable connection to the prosthetic
device. And of course, compatible hardware must be present to create the
requisite connection to the prosthetic device.

[0003]To provide for these dual goals, the standard three prong adaptor
has a threaded opening that allows a "pyramid" to be threaded thereinto;
and has prongs that are pre-formed into a downward arc to approximately
conform to the distal end of the stump. These three prong adaptors are
made of cast heat-treated stainless steel, and thus are rigid and
brittle. Prosthetists, in attempt to make the patient more comfortable by
making the socket fit better, will try to bend the prongs to make them
better conform to the stump. Attempts to bend the prongs, however, either
result in an immediate fracture, or create cracks that weaken the
integrity of the adaptor and result in later breakage and shearing with
continued usage.

[0004]U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,773 to Carideo, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,232 to
Van de Veen; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,456 to Merlette disclose prosthetic
limbs and devices that have an integral socket for the stump. Such
devices do not allow variation of the prosthetic device and have a very
limited ability to adapt to the stump of the patient.

[0005]While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose
employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the
purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006]It is an object of the invention to produce a socket adaptor that
facilitates secure attachment of a prosthetic limb or device. Accordingly
the socket adaptor has three flexible prongs that are initially
co-planar, and can be bent to conform to the contours of the stump.

[0007]It is another object of the invention to provide a socket adaptor in
which the flexible prongs can be bent and manipulated into any desired
position--numerous times--without breaking. Accordingly, the flexible
prongs are made of sheet titanium, which possesses sufficient strength
and flexibility to fulfill its intended function.

[0008]It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a socket
adaptor that is manufactured for a long useful life with superior
structural integrity. Accordingly, the main body of the socket adaptor is
made of solid titanium.

[0009]The invention is a socket adaptor, for use in creating a laminated
stump socket for use with a patient having a stump, in attaching a
prosthetic limb to the patient. The socket adaptor has a main body and a
plurality of prongs. The prongs are made of sheet titanium so that they
are flexible and bendable to closely accommodate the stump. The socket
adaptor is subsequently encapsulated with the laminated stump socket. The
main body allows a prosthetic connector to be attached thereto to allow
the laminated stump socket to secure directly to the prosthetic limb.

[0010]To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention
may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are
illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the
invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference
numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating a lower
surface of a socket adaptor.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating an upper
surface of the socket adaptor of FIG. 1.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating the adaptor
according to the present invention in an original, unbent state, being
fitted unto a stump casting.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, except
wherein the adaptor prongs are being bent to conform with the stump
casting.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating a prosthetic
connector being threaded into the adaptor.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating the stump
casting and adaptor prongs being covered with a graphite weave, prior to
being coated with resin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018]FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate a socket adaptor 10 for use in the
creation of a laminated stump socket, for attaching a prosthetic limb or
device to a patient. The socket adaptor 10 includes a main body 12, and
three prongs 14 extending outwardly from the main body 12.

[0019]The main body 12 has a lower surface 12L, and an upper surface 12U.
A main bore 16 extends fully between the upper surface 12U and lower
surface 12L. The main bore 16 is internally threaded 17, and may be
selectively adjusted with an adjustment opening 18 that allows the main
bore 16 to be slightly spread and narrowed and an adjustment screw 20
that regulates the magnitude of the adjustment opening 18. In particular,
the adjustment screw 20 allows a device to be threaded into the main bore
16 and then prevented from unthreading by tightening the adjustment screw
20 to narrow the adjustment opening 18 and thus cause the main bore 16 to
clamp upon the item.

[0020]FIG. 3 illustrates the socket adaptor 10 according to the present
invention, wherein the prongs 14 initially extend radially outwardly from
the main body 12 in a common plane. The prongs 14 are each broad and
flat, and substantially parabolic in shape, having a curved extremity.
The socket adaptor 30 may be manufactured such that the prongs 14
initially extend in a co-planar configuration because the prongs 14 are
flexible and thus bendable--allowing them to be set as desired by the
prosthetist in fitting the patient. To facilitate such bendability, the
prongs are made of sheet titanium. The use of sheet titanium material has
the unexpected result of making the prongs extremely strong, yet able to
bend into the desired configuration. A suitable thickness for the sheet
titanium has been discovered to be approximately 0.5 mm, although other
thicknesses are also suitable and thus may also be used.

[0021]In FIG. 3, the socket adaptor 10 is shown positioned immediately
above a stump casting 30, having a distal end 30D. The stump casting 30
is created from a stump belonging to the patient for which the laminated
stump socket is intended. The creation of the stump casting 30 allows the
prosthetist to work without requiring the patient to be present and
thereby facilitates making a laminated stump socket that precisely fits
the stump of the patient.

[0022]FIG. 4 illustrates the socket adaptor 10 being customized for the
patient. In particular, the main body 12 is positioned against the distal
end 30D of the stump casting 30, and the prongs 14 of the socket adaptor
10 previously illustrated in FIG. 3 are being bent downwardly to conform
to the distal end 30D of the stump casting 30. Since the prongs 14 of the
present invention are made of sheet titanium, the bending can be repeated
until a precise fit is obtained.

[0023]FIG. 5 illustrates a prosthetic connector 40 having a round base 42
with a threaded portion 44 and a pyramid plug 46. The pyramid plug 46
allows connection of various prosthetic devices having hardware that is
configured to attach thereto. The pyramid plug 46 may be substituted with
other configurations that are adapted to connect to prosthetic devices
having different connection hardware. It should be noted that according
to a preferred embodiment, the main body 12 is made of solid titanium, as
is the prosthetic connector 40.

[0024]FIG. 6 illustrates the socket adaptor 10, fitted onto the stump
casting 30, and covered with graphite mesh 50. The graphite mesh 50 is
subsequently coated with resin to encapsulate the socket adaptor 10 and
create a hardened, shell-like surface which is then removed from the
stump casting 30 and is permanently formed to fit the stump of the
patient. Most importantly, by using the socket adaptor 10 of the present
invention, the laminated stump socket thus created closely adapts to the
stump of the patient, for a comfortable fit, without sacrificing the
structural integrity of the socket adaptor 10 encapsulated therein.

[0025]In conclusion, herein is presented a socket adaptor that contains
flexible prongs that allow a superior laminated stump socket to be
created. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures,
and throughout the written description. It should be understood that
numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive
concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present
invention.